I was inspired the other day by a summer recipe for Sandbox Pudding. The idea is very similar to Dirt Pudding if you have ever seen that done. Basically cookies are crushed up and layered between pudding and it gives kids or adults the illusion that he/she is eating dirt or in this case sand.

Step 2: Put the crushed up cookies into the Bullet to make them into a sand like consistency.

*** If you are lucky enough to have a food processor you can skip steps one and two and put the cookies straight into the processor BUT you will miss out on the fun of crushing your cookies in a ziploc. It’s up to you.

I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Memorial Day. I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed it. We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant commemoration of what they did. ~Benjamin Harrison

I have been a little MIA lately but in my defense, things have been more than a little crazy.

Last Wednesday Isaac and I had just sat down on the couch to eat an amazing feast of hot dogs and chips when we heard several pop pop pops.

At first I thought it was fireworks but unfortunately for Isaac, he knew exactly what those noises were.

“Get the baby, get in the bathtub. NOW!”

It is pretty surreal feeling to grab your kid and run for the safety of your bathtub.

The strangest part of it all was the haze after the storm. When the gunfire stops and neighbors and friends all feel safe enough to peer their heads out of their doors to see what has happened.

Police.

Shells.

Questioning.

What did you see?

Talking.

Did your house get hit? No, but so and sos has two bullet holes through their new babies nursery.

Quickly packing your car with your baby, dog, and a few essentials just in case it happens again.

I can’t explain it.

I knew this neighborhood was not perfect but I did not think it was dangerous. I live a block away from one of the states best hospitals and medical schools. A street in front of us is full of college students, our street is full of families, and the block or two behind us can get a little rough.

I guess the rough drifted down to our street last week.

Even if this is an anomaly, we are staying with Isaac.

I move into my new home in less than a week (hopefully, the bank keeps pushing this back).

I always thought moms who made their own baby food were fanatical, crazy healthy, and didn’t have anything better to do than waste their time doing something someone has already done for them.

I apologize.

Not that I don’t think the above applies to some, but certainly not all.

When Linc was sixth months old, I ran out of food. It was about 8:30 at night and I had just come home from conferences or some other event that took all night and the little squirt was hungry.

And the cupboards were empty.

This is when I learned that making baby food was not only super easy but I also eventually realized it was much MUCH cheaper too.

This is my recipe to easy baby food for the busy, cheap, or just plan lazy.

Buy a large bag of frozen vegis from Costco or if you don’t belong to Costco, Walmart has bags of vegis for about 88 cents that work just as well.

Buy Ziploc Zip-n-Steam bags or buy the off brand. If you are going for cheap defiantly the off brand

Place your bag of vegis in one of the bags and follow the cooking directions

Nuke it

Take it out and put it into a blender or bullet (you DO NOT need a fancy baby food blender or baby food bullet, they all work). If you are looking for super quick I would go for a bullet (much easier to clean). I have one my mom gave me that she never used and I just keep it on my counter. Love it.

Blend

Feed and Store (freeze well for two weeks)

Depending on how full you filled your bag you will have enough food for a day or two. And it only takes about 7 minutes!!!

Glorious.

I also do this same exact thing with bags of frozen fruit (super cheap at Costco). The only difference is that I don’t steam them I just let the fruit thaw or even blend it frozen.

So easy, and so so cheap.

Take it from me, I am not an over achiever. This is not difficult and it saves me tons of money. Plus I know that my kid is getting healthy non-processed foods.